Eye-to-Eye
by UmLikeYeah
Summary: In his opinion, she was too serious for her own good. In hers, he slid by on his good looks and charm. She was looking towards the future and he was looking for the next adventure. Clearly, they didn't see eye-to-eye, but nonetheless, an inexplicable and inescapable connection cuts across Will's and Alicia's differences. A Georgetown chronicle.
1. Chapter 1

**Eye-to-Eye**

The Good Wife: A Georgetown Chronicle

_In his opinion, she was too serious for her own good. In hers, he slid by on his good looks and charm. She was looking towards the future and he was looking for the next adventure. Clearly, they didn't see eye-to-eye, but nonetheless, an inexplicable and inescapable connection cuts across Will's and Alicia's differences._

* * *

-1-

It was their Friday night ritual - a way to release the build up of tension from a long week of study. Of course, Emma would invariably find an agreeable male companion to keep her company after the bar closed, but not Alicia. She didn't believe in one night stands. In fact, she didn't engage in many vices. Emma once said the only thing that prevented her from being referred to as "Saint Alicia" was her indulgence in occasionally getting shit-faced, down-on-the-ground drunk.

They were celebrating for a variety of reasons - they were one week closer to the semester's end, and, it was a classmate's birthday. That's why they were at Widow's Peak instead of their usual haunts. If she'd had a choice, Alicia would have preferred Cava; it was relaxed and the people were down-to-earth. At Widow's Peak, the regulars seemed loud and brash; and, worst of all, there was a karaoke stage. Just looking at it made her grimace.

It was almost midnight but the crowd was only getting larger. Alicia was feeling good - buzzed but not messily so. "I'm just saying that Wexler seems more intent to indulge the blowhards that cater to his vanities rather than to the merits of the actual argument."

"Uh huh."

Alicia waved a hand in front of her friend's face. Emma was facing the stage, fiddling with the contents of her drink. "You're not the slightest bit interested in what I'm talking about, are you?"

"Not interested in hearing you wax on about idealism over reality? But you do it so infrequently."

"Ha ha. Ok, I get the message." She took a sip of her beer. "Who have you got your sights set on tonight?"

Emma grinned wickedly. "What makes you think I've set my sights on anybody?"

"Because you're doing that thing again with your mouth and the cherry." She laughed as Emma abruptly dropped the cherry back into her cocktail. "I can read you like a book."

Her friend pouted and then leaned conspiratorially. "That guy. Over there. By the stage."

Alicia scanned the stage area. Internally, she did a double take. It had to have been the man standing casually near the speakers - tall, dark-haired and so good looking that it made Alicia's cheeks turn red. "Oh. Wow."

"Delicious, right?"

She nodded, dumbly. Though they stood well over ten feet away, he must have sensed their admiring eyes because he stopped whatever he was saying to his friend and turned to stare back at them. Alicia quickly turned around to face the bar again. Her heart thudded. What was she, thirteen years old again? She should turn back, let him know he hadn't flustered her. "Bartender!" Maybe after a refill of her beer.

Alicia eyed Emma, who was still facing the stranger's way and was probably locked into his gaze. Envy flashed through her - Emma had no concerns about appearing too brazen. She did what she wanted and she didn't care what anyone else might think about that. Emma was going to do well as a trial lawyer. "Ok, wish me luck."

"You won't need it!" She turned just enough to watch Emma sashay away. She faced the bar again.

"Ally Cavanaugh, come to serenade us with a ballad or two?"

Her good luck, she thought, as the bartender refilled her glass. She fought to restrain the eye roll. Speaking of blowhards, the biggest one of them all had to have taken a seat beside her. She poured a generous mouthful and took her time to respond. "You know I don't like being called Ally."

He laughed like she had just said the most clever thing in the world. Was she supposed to be flattered that he was paying attention to her? Her mind fluttered to the man by the stage - he was probably engaging in witty banter with Emma right this moment, while she was probably going to rehash some classroom debate from earlier in the week. "Why not? Alicia's so… formal." He leaned in closer. "Ally is much more free-spirited. Don't you want to be free-spirited?"

"I don't." She hated how wooden and proper she sounded.

He gave a drawn out sigh. "Fine. Alicia. Happy now?" The way he emphasized the "li" in her name made it sound more like "Aliiiiiicia."

She finally turned to look him in the eye. "No. And by the way, the only reason Wexler even ruled in your favor is because you practically memorized his book. You and I both know your argument was much less sound than mine."

"And yet, I got the win and not you. Do you want to know why, Aliiicia?"

"Stop it."

"Stop what, Aliiicia?"

"Stop saying my name like that!"

"I can't call you Ally and now I can't call you by your full name. You're a very tricky girl, you know that?"

She drew in a deep breath, closed her eyes and when she opened them again, his smirking face was still there. _Lord help me because I'm about to start a bar brawl. _"I'm going over there" - she pointed towards the vicinity of the stage - "You can stay here and call me whatever you like."

He called out as she began to walk away, "Wexler ruled in my favor because I knew how to get Wexler's attention."

"You think that you're going to be able to do that in court? Distract the judge and jury from the truth?"

"Alicia, a word of advice." He actually looked serious. "Sometimes the truth won't matter. Sometimes it's all about how you play the game."

"It's people like you that give lawyers a bad reputation." She felt sorry for him and his cynical way of thinking. Maybe that was the way it ran in some circles but she wasn't going to engage in those murky waters. She was going to make a difference, she was going to be an example to follow. She'd known this about herself since she was a young girl playing Supreme Court Justice. The Will Gardners in life were just going to have to adjust to that.

* * *

He had pushed her too far, Will realized. Idealists like her were so easy to rile up. He leaned back, watched the way she moved stiffly through the crowd. Some women were naturally the center of attention. Women like that - like her friend Emma - could part a crowd without ever having to do anything but stand up. Alicia Cavanaugh was not that kind of woman. Instead, she faded into the background. People tended to discount her because she was the quiet type. Will himself hadn't even realized they shared a class their first year in law school until the semester was half over.

He didn't know why he had started the conversation with her. Maybe it had to do with the way she glared at him throughout Wexler's class - he could tell she was getting progressively more frustrated with the results of their debate. Will considered himself a fairly easygoing person - he was well-liked on campus by most of the other students and by the faculty. He didn't ruffle feathers, unless he had to. He made an exception when it came to Alicia - he purposefully took every opportunity to ruffle Alicia's feathers. And he enjoyed every minute of it. The first time she'd opened her mouth, he had her pegged as his grandmother would call it, "uppity". It didn't matter if she spoke the truth straight from God's mouth. She needed to dial it down a few notches. Will wasn't sure when he had decided he was the person for that particular job.

He shook his head and shifted his attention to a beautiful woman sitting several feet away. She was wearing an eye-catching top that looked like a disco ball. It accentuated her curves in a becoming fashion. After a few minutes, she gave him a smile. He saw his chance to strike. He unfolded his tall, lanky frame from the bar stool and walked over to her. It was Friday night and the weekend stretched out in front of him. He was going to enjoy every second of it. Alicia Cavanaugh receded into the back of his mind, like she did with almost everyone else.

* * *

Emma had disappeared. So had the man from the stage. Alicia stood awkwardly amongst a crowd of people. She saw familiar faces nearby but had no desire to socialize. She needed a breather. The back door was propped open and the alley way it led into looked empty. She quickly ducked out and sucked in the cold, fresh air.

"You, too, huh?"

"Who's there?" The voice came from the darker shadows of the alley. She fumbled for the keys in her person, gripping it in between her fingers, ready to use them as weapons.

It was him. The man from the stage. He was alone and held his hands up as if he were surrendering. He looked vaguely amused at her defensive stance. "Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. I'm just out here for a smoke." He cocked his head towards the cigarette in one upraised hand.

Alicia relaxed and let out an embarrassed laugh. "I'm sorry, too. I'm being overly cautious."

To her amazement, he leaned against a spot on the wall that was next to her. "No, you're right to be cautious. You never know, right?"

He had blue eyes. The kind of blue that reminded her of warm and carefree days spent canoeing on Lake Michigan. "Are you saying I should be wary of you?"

"Well, no. I'm pretty harmless."

"I'm sure all the serial killers say that too."

His laughter was infectious. "I see I've dug myself into a hole. Let's start over."

"Yes, let's. I'm Alicia." She stuck out her hand.

He took it. His palm was smooth but had a few calloused edges. "It's very nice to meet you, Alicia. I'm Peter Florrick."

* * *

It was dawn when Will left Disco Ball's apartment. The sun had just risen and the streets were quiet. He walked over to the diner near campus. The waitress gave him a wave of her hand - he was a regular there; he could never fully concentrate on his studies at his place but here he could. He spent many late nights/early mornings drinking up their coffee.

The door bell jangled as the hot plate of perfectly runny eggs was set in front of him. He saw Alicia seat herself in a corner booth by the window. How did she manage to look so fresh so early in the morning? With her rosy cheeks and dark hair, she looked like a live-action version of Snow White. He groaned as she pulled out several textbooks from a giant purse. Of course. Typical Alicia.

He should finish eating, go home, fall asleep for a few more hours and then meet up for his weekly basketball game. He peeked at Alicia again. Her brow was already furrowed in deep concentration as she tried to read a passage in her book while pour sugar into her own cup of coffee. She let out a little yelp as the sugar cascaded into her lap. Will grinned. He was going to have fun ruining her Saturday morning study jam. "Aliiiiicia, good morning!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Writing this story is pure fun. I hope you're enjoying it too!**

-2-

"Objection, Professor!"

Will threw his hands up in the air. "Objection? We're not even in court!"

Alicia ignored him. "I'm objecting to the fact that, yet again, underhanded measures are being used."

"Underhanded? I think it's important to point out that the murder victim had a history of infidelity. That means the defendant had a pretty strong motive to murder him." He turned to his classmates. "Who disagrees?"

That got Alicia up out of her chair. "That 'history' is circumstantial and hearsay, at best! Will here thinks he can sway weak minds by splashing a rumored sex scandal into the case analysis."

Their professor eyed the two of them with wary amusement. "So either I'm too stupid to catch on to Mr. Gardner's razzle-dazzle, or, I'm too weak-minded, according to Ms. Cavanaugh, if I find any credibility swimming in the infidelity angle?" That earned a titter of laughter to ripple throughout the lecture hall.

Alicia bit her lip and sat down as Will said, hastily, "Professor Radha, I can't speak for Ms. Cavanaugh but I certainly don't think of you as stupid. Clearly anyone who has read the court transcripts for Kovalev v. H.E.J or U.S. v. Jot, Inc..."

"Yes, yes, we all know you've thoroughly researched my background - let's not rehash that all over again." Professor Radha said drily, waving him silent. "While I'm pleased at how spirited the two of you are approaching opposing viewpoints of this case, I would like to give your fellow classmates the opportunity to weigh in as well. So, I ask the two of you to apply just as much energy in listening as you have done in talking."

Will gave his best boyish grin as he settled into his seat. Across from him, Alicia nodded tersely. She must have been a debutante - her back was ramrod straight. For the rest of class, Will kept his eyes purposefully on her. Whenever she looked at him, he slouched further into his seat and raised an eyebrow. He liked seeing the muscles in her jaw tighten, seeing her angle her face away so he could study her sharp profile. She was the kind of woman who tried to pretend her looks didn't - or shouldn't -matter. He had yet to see her wear anything besides jeans and a sweater buttoned up to her collar bone. She didn't put on any make up and her hair was always pulled back from her face, as if the long dark locks would somehow hold her back on her journey for justice. He would swear she didn't have a carefree bone in her body but he'd witnessed her laughing with her friends outside of class. He wasn't quite sure why she found him disagreeable. Maybe she thought he was trying to get in her pants. Which was laughable. He leered at her and knew she saw it with her peripheral vision. Her back became impossibly straighter.

Towards the end of the class, the professor began outlining the final project of the semester. "Remember that this will count significantly towards your final grade for the course. You will need to devote most of your foreseeable free time preparing your argument. Do not, for a moment, think that I will be more lenient because you are first years. I have very high expectations." She smiled faintly at the chorus of groans. "One thing more. As lawyers, we don't often have the freedom to choose our team. Therefore, you'll have to learn how to play nice with others who may have very different ideologies." As if to solidify the dread knotting in the pit of Alicia's stomach, Radha glanced at her. "Mr. Gardner and Ms. Cavanaugh, I'm interested to see how your individual strengths might fare on the same side, for once."

If there was anything gratifying in being assigned to work together, it was seeing Will without a witty rejoinder. It, nonetheless, irked Alicia that he had an expression like he had been sentenced to the gulags. She approached him when class was over and waited until he reluctantly looked at her. "I'd like to get started this week. There's a lot of work that needs to be done. Can you meet tonight?"

He twisted his lips. "Tonight's no good." He pointed at the gym bag lying near his feet. "I've got a game."

She ground her teeth and followed him out into the hallway. "Well, then, when are you free?"

"Uh... I don't know. It's a busy week. How about we play it by ear?"

Will turned at her lack of a response; she was standing with her hands on her hips. "I would hate to think you're not taking this final project seriously. It's important."

"Ally, Ally, Ally..." He shook his head and gave a humorless laugh. "It's so easy for you to assume I'm slacking off, isn't it?"

She folded her arms across her chest, unwilling to back down. "You're prioritizing a basketball game over our final project."

He mirrored her stance. "Not that I need to explain myself but exercise helps me figure things out. I've got a paper due in Ethical Law - according to you, I'm clueless in that subject so I better get cracking on that." He took a few steps closer. "Do you have any other questions? Or should I photocopy my calendar?"

He had a point. She didn't think she would have been nearly as presumptuous or bossy if she had teamed up with anyone else. Alicia didn't know quite how to react whenever Will shed his lackadaisical persona - when he was serious, as he was at that moment, standing over her, she could feel the adrenaline rising. It made her feel like she had done something she shouldn't have - poked a hibernating bear in the dead of winter who happened to wake up. Her father used to say she was too stubborn for her own good - and his words scrawled across mind at that particular moment. She stiffened her posture. She would rather be mauled alive by a bear than let Will Gardner know she was feeling a little bit sorry about the way she was behaving. "Well, I will be in the library every night tonight. If you can spare some of your precious time, find me there. And don't call me Ally", she said before quickly walking away in the opposite direction.

* * *

Owen was already back at the apartment and uncorking a bottle of wine. "Are you telepathic?", Alicia said as she dropped her bag on the nearest available surface. She reached for the full glass on the coffee table.

He rolled his neck from one side to the other. "You too, huh?"

She took a big sip and passed the glass to Owen, who did the same. "It's days like these that I almost miss living back at home, with Mom."

He made a face. "Almost being the watchword here. Speaking of the devil, she called."

"What is she up to now?"

"She's met Mr. Dream Man. Roger."

"Again? Lord help him." They shared a laugh and toasted.

Owen slid a glance at Alicia. "Speaking of calls, someone left you a message on the answering machine, too."

"Oh, who is it?"

He cleared his throat and proceeded to say in a hoarser tone, "Alicia, it's Peter. I'd love to see you again soon. Give me a call."

Alicia smiled. They'd ended up talking for an hour or so in that alleyway outside the bar. She pulled out her day book, wherein she had placed the napkin with Peter's number. Owen made a silent "oh" as she picked up the phone and dialed. "Peter, hi. It's Alicia."

"Alicia." She could tell he was smiling. "I'm glad you called me back. Do you want to meet for a drink later?"

"I'd love to, but I can't. I have some work I need to get done." She looked up to see Owen flailing his arms at her. She put a hand over the mouthpiece of the phone. "What?", she whispered at her brother.

"Offer an alternative!", he whispered back.

Her mind sped and then she said into the phone, "Can you meet me at the Georgetown library for a quick coffee?"

Peter laughed, a sexy and deep sound. "What an interesting place for a first date. Ok, Alicia, I'm intrigued. I'll see you in a few hours."

When she hung up, Owen pounced. "Who's got my sister smiling like the Mona Lisa?"

She fought for a serious expression on her face. She failed and her smile was probably even goofier than before. "Just a man I met the other night", she said.

"Oh, just some man? Ms. Picky has suddenly relaxed her high standards or does Mr. Perfect actually exist?"

She batted her hands in the air. "I don't know. Maybe. It's too early to tell and I don't want to jinx it. Let's talk about what's going on in your life."

He sighed and downed the remaining wine in his glass. "I've realized, Sis, that math is hard."

"Finally, huh? And all it took was a doctoral degree program."

"I just spent 90 minutes listening to my thesis advisor rip apart my research. He said my work lacked substance."

Alicia winced and put an arm around Owen. "Ouch. I'm sorry."

"I swear Wilson's got it out for me." His expression went dark for a minute and then he visibly forced a smile. "Enough about that. I'm meeting Elaine later."

"Elaine? I thought you guys were done with each other."

He shrugged. "I don't know. I'm conflicted."

She tsk'ed. "Well, don't jerk her around if you're not serious about her."

He gave her a wounded look. "What if she's jerking me around. Oh my God, I can't even say that with a straight face."

Alicia shook her head. "Oh, Owen. As much as I would love to spend more time pointing out the error of your ways, I have to go. The library calls."

Owen said, mischievously, "Peter calls, you mean." She only responded with a wave of her hand.

* * *

Two nights later, after a quick shower, Will found himself looking for Alicia. True to her word, she was in the library. "Corcoran v. Diamante", he said while pulling out the seat across from her at the table.

"Excuse me?"

"We can use the precedents from Corcoran v. Diamante to rule out the counter argument about the infringement issue." Will flipped open his messenger bag and dug out the reference book. He handed it to her.

"That might work." She flipped open to the page he had dog-eared and read the highlighted passages. "I mean, it's… impressive. How did you come up with this?"

He tapped his mind. "It came to me, when I was playing basketball. And thank you, by the way, for the condescension."

She coughed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be." She pulled out her notes. "Here's my outline on the issues we need to tackle and possible solutions. Why don't you take a look and let me know what you think?"

They worked well past midnight together in the library, most of it in silence. They'd decided to divvy up the issues and research them separately first before bringing it all together. At that suggestion, Will had toyed with the idea of leaving it for another day but decided against it. He didn't want to give Alicia ammunition about being a procrastinator. He even showed up the next night to work on it some more with her. She was thorough - and apparently, didn't need sleep. He kept his mouth shut about leaving until she began to pack up her things - the earliest had been 2 o'clock in the morning. By the third night, Will decided enough was enough. "I'm heading home", he announced at 11:30 PM.

Alicia didn't look up from her book. "Ok. Good night, Will."

His eyes were burning and he could barely think. "I've been a zombie the last few days. I need sleep. Like, more than 2 hours of it."

"I hear you. Can you bring the paper you mentioned? I want to cross-reference it as soon as possible."

"Yeah, sure." Will took his time packing up. She didn't look like she was judging him - so why did he feel like he was? "Alicia."

She finally looked up. "Yes, Will?"

"Uh - how about we reconvene at the diner tomorrow night? I think unlimited cups of coffee will do us both some good."

Her brow wrinkled. She put her pen down. "Will, just so you know, I'm seeing someone."

"Ok…"

They stared at each other for a second. When it was clear that Will wasn't adding anything further, she elaborated. "So it's fine to meet at the diner but I think you should know that it will be strictly platonic."

He must really be tired - part of him didn't even want to refute her statement. He did anyway. "Alicia, it's a cup of coffee, not an engagement ring. I'll even insist on going Dutch."

Her cheeks colored. At some point, she had undone her ponytail so her hair fell in soft waves around her face. She was - pretty. Will ruthlessly quashed the thought in his head. She was not going to put ideas in his head. "I just don't want to give you the wrong idea. I know how you are."

"How I am…?" Despite the heat in his stomach, he waved his hands in surrender. "It's too late for this. Ok, it's going to be tough but I will somehow keep my insatiable sex drive in check. Good night, Alicia, I'll see you at the diner tomorrow. Platonically." He couldn't help tossing in the last word. He shook his head as he stepped out of the building. The night air felt more refreshing than usual. Just when he thought there might be some hope for Alicia Cavanaugh. He'd do well to remember that they had nothing in common. As soon as law school was over, he'd probably never see or hear from her again.


	3. Chapter 3

-3-

Six weeks after she started seeing Peter, he popped the question. She swallowed hard. "You want me to meet your mother?"

He was tying his tie in front of the bathroom mirror. "She almost never leaves Chicago and I wanted to seize the opportunity to have you meet each other."

Alicia's heart pounded fiercely. Was it too soon? "Um, ok. Sure."

"Hey." Peter came out and wrapped an arm around her waist. He kissed her forehead. "It just feels right. And you'll adore her."

She nodded and smiled slowly. "Ok. Then I'm looking forward to meeting her."

"Great. I'll make dinner reservations for Friday night. Look at the time. I better get going or I'll be late. I'll see you tonight, babe."

Owen was in the kitchen brewing coffee. They exchanged polite greetings as Peter headed for the door. "Third night this week, Sis."

"He wants me to meet his mother."

Owen frowned. "And you think it's too soon?"

She planted herself on a seat by the kitchen table. "Yes. No." She opened her mouth and shut it. "I really like him."

"Hmmm."

Alicia narrowed her eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Don't be paranoid. I'm just making a sound."

"You don't just 'make' sounds. You're thinking something."

Owen shrugged with feigned nonchalance. "I think a lot of things." He ducked as Alicia half-heartedly swatted at him. "Anyway, I don't have to tell you that you should do what you feel is right. You were born with an internal moral compass."

That was the problem. In this instance, her sense of right and wrong seemed to have deserted her entirely. She enjoyed every minute she spent with Peter. He was exactly what she always wanted - mature, responsible and ambitious. But at the same time, she was young. Wasn't she supposed to spend her early 20s making bad decisions? Would she look back and wonder why she never tried being more impetuous? Dare she say a lot more interesting?

* * *

Will was already there when she arrived at the library. After she had laid out the terms of their relationship, he had been all business with her. He hadn't even cracked a joke like he was prone to during class. She had been glad, in an embarrassed way - after the look of incredulity he had given her, Alicia wondered belatedly if perhaps she should have said those words aloud. Had it been too presumptuous?

He noticed her and leaned over to murmur in the ear of the woman sitting beside him. She giggled and then turned her face into his for a kiss that would have been more appropriate in the bedroom. Alicia's eyes slid away from their private moment. She gave them a second before walking over.

The woman broke away, smiling and wiping lip stick from Will's face. "I'm leaving."

"No, take your time. Please", Alicia said politely.

"Can't. I have practice." She pointed at her gym bag where Alicia spotted a ridiculously small and tight pair of shorts. "I'm Kimmy, by the way. Kimmy Linnatta."

Alicia introduced herself and Kimmy left, but not before she engaged in an additional lingering kiss with Will. While she settled into her seat, he watched Kimmy walk away. "Practice?"

Without breaking away from his line of vision, he said, "I met her at a Senators' game. Professional cheerleader."

"Hmmmm."

He looked at her, then. There was no expression on her face and she was already nose deep into a textbook. Something inside of him gave off a warning bell. He recklessly ignored it. "Your boyfriend likes the way you wear your hair?"

The skin right between her eyes creased. "What? No." Her hand involuntarily flew halfway up to self-consciously touch her hair, once again severely pulled back.

"Ah." He pulled out his notebook and began writing. He could feel the curiosity steaming out of her pores.

"Wait. Why would you-" She reigned in her temper. "First of all, that's none of your business. Second of all, it's my body and I'll wear my hair any way that I want."

He smiled at her benignly. "You're right. It was just a platonic question. Forget I said anything." He could tell her she was ramping up for a fight.

"Alicia, Will, I see the two of you are at each other again." Liz Lawrence, looking like she had stepped off a page in a magazine, approached their table. She flipped her shiny dark hair off of one shoulder. It rippled like a wave. She gave them a smile. "You do know you're supposed to be working as a team right?"

"Liz." It was all Alicia could do to keep her composure civil. "How nice of you to remind us. We hadn't realized."

Will sat back in his chair and topped the table with his feet. "We're playing devil's advocate." Alicia gave him a look of appreciation. He winked at her. Liz Lawrence was at the top of the class - he wanted to knock her off her pedestal just as much as Alicia.

Liz gave a low, throaty laugh. "Oh, Will. You always have a joke in your back pocket, don't you? It's cute." She shifted her books from one arm to another. "Well, I hope so. Jared and I were just wondering if there was going to be any challenge in our face off tomorrow."

Will sat up and reached out to place his hand on Alicia's arm. His thumb stroked her skin slowly while he gave Liz a faint smile. "Your concerns are noted, Liz. We'll see you tomorrow."

As soon as she left the floor, Alicia let out a hiss. "Let's decimate her argument."

He grinned wickedly at her. "Now you're talking."

* * *

Alicia was giving him a funny look when he walked into their classroom the following day. They had been up until dawn; he had probably slept no more than a few hours before he was up again to get ready. "What?"

She shook her head. "No-nothing. You look nice." She'd never seen him wearing a suit before.

She looked nice too - she was wearing all red and pumps. Will's eyes traveled appreciatively over her curves. Alicia Cavanaugh cleaned up very nicely. He gave her a cocky grin. "Thanks. Now let's kick some ass."

As soon as their classmates settled into their seats, Professor Radha said, "Mr. Gardner, please start your opening argument."

He nodded, feeling an unfamiliar wave of nervousness spread from his knees. He reached for his notes but couldn't make any sense of what he had written only the night before. The type seemed way too small. "Uh... One second, Prof- I mean, Your Honor." He sat down and reached for a folder in his messenger bag.

Alicia touched his hand beneath the table. He stopped to look at her. She nodded encouragingly at him. "Mesmer v. Donnelly", she said in a low volume. "You're going to be great."

All at once, his fears vanished. He squeezed her hand back and winked. "Watch this", he whispered. "Your Honor, the defense is going to try to build a case on pure malarkey..." On the whole, they were well prepared. But so were Liz and Jared. Professor Radha was right to have paired them together, Will realized. They made a formidable team. Alicia knew the letter of the law like the back of her hands but Will was adept at spotting the loopholes. He could tell that Alicia took savage delight in stumping Liz the several times they managed to do so.

The professor and the class applauded both teams at the end. "Well, that was quite a spirited debate", Radha said. "I only hope the rest of the final projects are as high caliber."

"And what is the final ruling?", said Liz.

The professor smiled. "It was a close call but I rule in favor of Ms. Cavanaugh and Mr. Gardner. Class dismissed."

He and Alicia leapt up from their seats and hugged each other. Her perfume - jasmine - exploded in his nose. "Great job!", she said, abruptly pulling away.

"Yeah, no joke about it. We were great." They walked out together. He hesitated. "How about a celebratory drink tonight?" When she hesitated, he added, "Platonically, of course."

"I can't. I'm really sorry." She seemed genuine about it too. "I'm having dinner with Peter and his mother."

Will's eyebrows rose. "Sounds serious." So his name was Peter.

It was the first time Alicia's bright expression dimmed. She shifted her purse uncomfortably from one shoulder to the other. "I guess."

He wasn't sure how to respond. Will cleared his throat. "Well, another night then. Good job, partner." He turned to go.

"Will."

"Yes, Alicia?"

She gave him another smile. "I really wish I could go celebrate with you tonight."

It was the way she looked and how she said the words. Like he might not have been just the scholarship kid from Rogers Park after all. Like he might be something more. He dropped his messenger bag and walked the remaining few steps up to her. Alicia's lips had parted slightly, but she didn't back away. Will cupped his hand on the back of her neck and pushed her until their lips met. He opened his mouth.

"Will?"

He blinked. Alicia stood a foot away. "Uh, yeah. Sorry. Sleep deprivation's getting to me. Listen, I'll probably be at Whistling Pig for awhile tonight. Come find me if you finish up early."

He didn't know why he offered that.

She nodded. "Ok, then. Bye, Will."


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry for the much delayed update. Hope you enjoy the latest on my take about Will and Alicia's time at Georgetown!

* * *

-4-

It was just like in the movies. On her bed, there was a steadily growing pile of discarded outfits she had deemed unacceptable for dinner with Peter and his mother, Jackie. Alicia looked over at the clock on her nightstand and felt her throat constrict. Only an hour left before Peter was picking her up! She dove into her small closet with increased fervor.

Owen watched in amusement when Alicia finally surfaced from her bedroom with minutes to spare. It had always been the two of them versus the world, especially after the death of their father. For Owen, it highlighted how important family really was - so no matter how flighty their mother was or how Alicia seemed to be obsessing to create some fictional, perfect life, they were his and he was theirs. Knowing this and knowing her, he could easily read her mood tonight. She was putting on her brave face. "You look like you're going to a job interview. Which, I guess, is kind of true."

Alicia glared at him, just as her hand rose haltingly to her chest. "What a thing to say, Owen. As if I'm not nervous enough already."

"Relax, Sis. I know just how to spruce you up." He got up from his comfortable spot in the sofa and walked up to her. "First, you are not going to the library. Hair needs to be loose and undone." With that, he freed her hair from its tight bun.

She grumbled but let him.

"Next, you don't need to wear a blazer to dinner. Besides, the color of your blouse shouldn't be hidden. Ditch the jacket. And lipstick is essential." When she had complied with all of his instructions, he stepped back, arms crossed, and looked at her critically. He gave himself a congratulatory pat on the shoulder. "Voila! A future daughter-in-law that any mother would love!"

Owen pivoted Alicia to face the mirror in their hallway. Of course he was right; he was always right about things like this. She looked soft and womanly and sexy and classy. She smiled, genuinely, and gave him a hug. "Thanks Owen!"

The doorbell rang. "There's your knight in shining armor. Go knock 'em dead!" When she left, Owen let his cheery disposition drop. He hoped she knew what she was getting herself into.

* * *

Will collapsed in a booth towards the back of the Whistling Pig. He felt good. It had been an intense term and he could, at least for a few weeks, relax. Kimmy slid in next to him, her body curvy and lean in all the right places. "Now I get you all to myself", she said, twining her arms around his neck.

Things should be this effortless, Will thought, as she dipped her mouth towards his. She rarely demanded his attention, which only increased her attractiveness. Like him, Kimmy came from a humble background. He admired and empathized with her determination and hard work to continually distance herself from poverty. Nothing had been handed to her - or him. Everything that Will had, had been a result of his fighting for it. When his fellow classmates voiced their idealistic beliefs about making a difference and "changing the system from the inside", he could only scoff and shake his head. Morality took a backseat when your mom had to water down the milk and the family had to subsist on three meals a day of peanut butter sandwiches in the handful of days leading up to payday.

He closed his eyes and let Kimmy's sweet scent intensify. Strong feelings, unfamiliar feelings, surged through his body. It was so easy to be with her. She understood him so well. When he opened his eyes again, he could see the expression on his face reflected in hers. "Hey. I just had a thought. A good one, too."

She leaned back as she wiped his mouth free of her lipstick. "I'm all ears."

Will pointed at Kimmy with his finger and then himself. "You. Me. Let's do this. Us."

She had been reaching for the fresh beer that the waitress had just set on their table top. As his words came out, she visibly slowed down her actions. After a long swallow of the draft, Kimmy turned to him. "Us? I didn't get the feeling you were interested in something that was exclusive."

He let his hand run through her hair and settle at the back of her neck. "I wasn't. But these last few weeks with you have been great. It makes me feel like what we have here could last a long time."

"Will." Kimmy pulled away. "It's not always going to be so simple. Or easy. And don't say otherwise because you know it's true. Let's try to imagine what it'll be like after the first few months."

His mouth twitched. "Is this your way of letting me down?"

She shook her head. "I'm trying to be the practical one here. I enjoy our relationship the way it is right now. I could walk away, no feelings hurt, if we ended things tomorrow. I'd prefer to keep it that way if this is just some crazy idea of the moment."

"It's not a crazy idea." Kimmy still looked unconvinced. "Look in my eyes and tell me you don't think that we could make it work very well." Will's gaze bored deep into hers, seeing and thinking of nothing but her. She must have sensed it because she gave him a smile so bright, he couldn't believe he had never had before tried to make anyone so happy. They fused their mouths together once more.

An hour later, Kimmy's status as girlfriend well established, she looked at the front of the bar where her roommate stood, clearly out of place due to her palpable panic. Kimmy frowned, squeezed Will's arm and walked over to her roommate. Will watched as Kimmy and the roommate - Cassie something - spoke with animation. Kimmy looked worried too as she hurried back. "I have to go. Casey needs my help." She was already reaching for her coat.

"What's going on? Is there anything I can do?", he said as he half rose.

Kimmy shook her head; as an afterthought, she leaned over for a quick kiss on the lips. "No, it's got to do with her mom. It's fine and I'll explain tomorrow night, after the game."

He faltered and she smiled again. "Seriously, I want you to enjoy the rest of your night here."

"Ok. I'll see you tomorrow then."

He watched her wave good bye to her friend and leave with the nervous Casey. As the night wore on, satisfaction radiated from his body. Life was good. Term was over. He had a girlfriend. He. Will Gardner. He almost wanted to lean back and prop his feet on the table.

The door to the bar opened. Alicia, looking better than he'd ever seen her, walked in. Before she spotted him, she glanced around the bar. He wasn't sure what it was about her - maybe it was the uncertain way she held herself. Maybe it was how her hair, all loose and soft curls, made her look more vulnerable. Maybe it was the relief in her eyes when she finally found him. Whatever it was, it wiped the smile right off his face. Because there was effortless with Kimmy Linnatta and then there was Alicia Cavanaugh.


	5. Chapter 5

_New chapter up! Hope you enjoy my take of Alicia's days at Georgetown! _

-5-

Alicia woke up, her tongue as fuzzy as her memory. She groaned at the sunlight pouring into her room - she'd somehow forgotten to draw her blinds shut before collapsing into bed last night. Rolling over to the left side of the bed, she reached for the clock on the nightstand. Was it only 9:30? For that matter, was it only Saturday?

Saturday, Saturday, Saturday. Last week, she had made plans with Peter to drive to Baltimore. They were going to spend the day drinking beer and eating oysters at the seafood festival. Alicia rolled onto her back and covered her eyes with a hand. What with last night's fiasco, she wasn't sure about anything anymore. Down the hall, she could hear the shower running. Owen loved taking unreasonably long showers; even when he was done, she needed to get herself together before vocalizing what exactly happened last night. Her forehead wrinkled. She'd have to piece together the last parts of the night first...

_-8:00 PM, the night before-_

A stone settled in Alicia's stomach as the valet parking attendant at The Camelot opened the passenger side door for her. "Your mom's staying at The Camelot?"

Peter thanked the attendant who handed him the parking slip and held out his arm to her. "Yes, whenever she's in D.C., she stays here. Why?"

It reminded her of her private school days - starched uniforms, stern matrons, and her fellow classmates giggling as they snuck in sips of booze at every available opportunity. The education, in many ways, had been great - she entered college already a disciplined student with a strong foundation in math, science and philosophy. But Alicia had also learned that joining the soccer team (which was all-boys) or starting an all-girls team was a futile attempt, simply because it was too "unladylike. How about tennis or badminton instead?" She remembered the tremendous waterfall of relief the day she walked across the stage with her diploma in hand. Now that wall of inflexibility seemed to rebuild itself as she and Peter stepped into the hotel lobby. She forced a smile, reminiscent of the one that she wore all night at her cotillion. "Your mom has exquisite taste, that's all."

Peter grinned. "Just keep feeding her lines like that and she'll be eating out of the palm of your hand." His gaze swung past her head. "Ah, there's the old bird. Mom!" He waved.

Alicia swore she felt the force of Jackie Florrick's assessing gaze before she saw her. It was like a broad laser sweeping her entire body vertically, starting from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet. She did her best not to fidget and quickly reinforced the cotillion-smile. "Mrs. Florrick, how nice to meet you." She held out her hand.

The older woman standing before her was slightly below average height with neatly coiffed dark hair and had donned a baby blue Chanel skirt suit. She raised an elegant, slim hand to Alicia's. "And you must be Alicia. Lovely to meet you." She offered a cheek.

Alicia stepped in for an awkward air kiss. "I was just telling Peter how lovely this hotel is. I can only imagine all the historic conversations that must have taken place here."

"Oh, yes. Has Peter told you the time his father had drinks with the late President Kennedy here? No?" Jackie gave her son a mock look of reproach and proceeded to launch into the story as they settled into their table for dinner.

As the wife of a judge, Jacke was the consummate hostess. The first half of dinner went by smoothly enough - wherever there might have been potential lulls in the conversation, Jackie deftly filled in with stories from Peter's childhood. Although Jackie was polite and pleasant enough, Alicia found her countenance hard-to-read. The affection between mother and son, however, was unmistakable. In the middle of the entree course, Peter and Jackie were laughingly reminiscing over a Mother's Day breakfast Peter had tried to prepare. "And there were the eggs, the saddest pile of them you could ever see!", Peter was saying.

Jackie placed a hand on Peter's forearm. "But they were delicious and I loved that you even attempted it." She turned to Alicia. "You must have a lot of moments like this with your parents. Tell me, where did you grow up?"

"San Francisco."

A light gleamed in Jackie's eyes. "The San Francisco Cavanaughs?"

Alicia laughed. "Well, one of them, at least. My dad was a civil rights lawyer and my mother owns several spiritual healing shops."

She might as well have spoken in a foreign language. "Spiritual healing shops?"

It really was like private school all over again, Alicia thought. As she'd done a million times before, she explained. "As in incense, crystals and ayurvedic healing practices. Her first store is in Haight-Ashbury."

Peter laughed. "Your mom's a hippie? I learn something new about you everyday. What are you going to tell me next - that you've got a black belt in judo?"

Alicia responded with laughter in kind but noticed Jackie's reticence. "Mrs. Florrick, have you ever been to San Francisco?"

"Yes, but I'm afraid I'm not very familiar with the neighborhood you've mentioned."

"Maybe you should go and enjoy some of the herbal medications they have available there. Am I right, Alicia?", Peter grinned wickedly. Jackie made a face at him. "Ladies, please excuse me while I visit the little boys' room."

The moment her son was out of view, Jackie dropped the smile. "So, what is it that you think is happening between yourself and my son, exactly?"

Alicia should have known that things were not going well. "Excuse me?"

"Did I stutter?"

"Uh, n-no." Her face flamed as Jackie continued to stare her down. "I like Peter very much. I think he's a wonderful-"

"Young lady, I know who my son is and where he's headed. Who and what you are, though, is an entirely different matter."

"Mrs. Florrick, I'm sorry if I've somehow given you the wrong impress-"

Once again, Jackie interrupted. "You're a sweet enough girl but Peter is in need of a strong partner, do you understand? Someone who's not going to crumble at the first hard question thrown her way. She's got to have poise and wit and elegance." The look she gave Alicia clearly indicated her belief on whether Alicia possessed these qualities.

"What did I miss?" Alicia blinked at Peter's words. She hadn't even noticed he had returned to the table.

Jackie smiled mysteriously. "Girl talk, Peter. Isn't that right, Alicia?"

Alicia would later wonder if she had done the right thing. But at that moment, with Jackie's smug expression, she only saw red. It was a common enough family trait that it was dubbed the "Cavanaugh Outrage at Unjustness". Later on, Alicia would bemusedly note that Jackie's superficial assessment had been incomplete without it.

Alicia chose to stand up, effectively wiping the smiles off Jackie's and Peter's faces. "I'm sorry, Peter, but I need to cut this dinner short. Mrs. Florrick, I'm sure you'll enjoy the remainder of your meal. Please excuse me." She took the napkin on her lap, folded it neatly before placing it over her half-eaten plate and promptly left without looking back.

Peter caught up with her while she was waiting for a cab in front of the hotel entrance. "What's wrong? What happened?"

She was shaking, hard. "Peter, leave it alone. I don't want to talk about this right now."

He rubbed the tops of her arms, which had pebbled up. "I know my mom can be... intense."

Alicia broke away. "Intense? How about judgmental and condescending?" As he made to open his mouth, she slashed the air with her hand. "No, Peter. I'm serious about not talking about this right now. If you need to find out immediately, I suggest you turn around, march into that hotel and ask the old bird herself."

He looked very grim. "I see. I'll straighten this out, Alicia. I'm sorry it didn't go as well as I had hoped." He stepped back as the cab arrived.

She looked at him, so very handsome and so very upset. "I'm sorry, too." Then she closed the door and when the taxi driver asked for her destination, she blurted out, "The Whistling Pig, please."

_-9:35 AM, Saturday-_

The shower abruptly stopped. Alicia lifted her head. That was strange. Unless Owen had gotten up especially early to shower...? To add to her further surprise, her bedroom door opened and he walked in, one towel loosely wrapped around his hips and the other covering his head as he dried off his hair. "Did you get lost?"

Any further words disintegrated from her throat as he pulled the towel away from his head. Will Gardner was standing half-naked in her room. Will Gardner. Her mind sped. The rest of the previous night's events came flooding back.


	6. Chapter 6

-6-

"Do you have room for one more?" The phrase seemed more confident in Alicia's head than when she actually spoke the words out loud. She cringed.

Will didn't seem to notice and slid over. "You look like you need a shot of something strong."

She snorted. "I think I need to bleach my mind clean of the last two hours." The waitress spotted her and came over. "Your best bourbon, please. A double."

He was impressed. "That rough?" He fought to maintain his composure when she reached for his beer.

She took a hefty swig before answering. "If it's ok with you, I'd rather not talk about it at the moment."

He inclined his head. "No problem. What would you like to do instead?"

The waitress arrived with the bourbon. Alicia accepted it gratefully and as she picked up the glass she signaled the woman to bring another round. She tossed the drink back in one gulp.

"How'd you learn to drink like that?"

Alicia grinned, the liquor leaving a warm trail inside her body. "Would you believe it if I told you my Granddad took it upon himself to teach me how to drink the night I turned 21?"

He shook his head, utterly charmed. "No. This I've got to hear."

Over the rim of her glass, she said, almost coquettishly, "Not without stronger booze." With that, she hailed for the waitress again.

The next few hours passed in a blur. This Alicia was thoroughly enchanting and engaging; unlike her school alter ego, she was witty, warm and all too personable. Will couldn't deny it any longer - she was sexy. Her laugh bubbled generously out of her throat, with only the slightest rasp. She told stories about her childhood in San Francisco, mostly about the multiple exasperations her free-form mother wrought on the family. It made sense to Will, why she was the way she was. "On that Tibet trip, mom decided to bring back a Sherpa as her personal souvenir", Alicia was saying. "His name was Tony and he lived with us for about nine months. Mom and Tony entertained the idea of having him adopt Owen and me."

"Get out of here. Did he?"

She gave him a look. "If we had, I would have been Alicia Thokmay. We put our foot down and told Mom that we would keep Dad's last name."

Will raised an eyebrow. "Really? As in even when you get married? Did you tell Peter that?"

Now that he was more familiar with her, she was easier to read. Her posture stiffened, while her mouth and jaw tensed and her brow shifted lower over her eyes. She was silent, clearly going through some internal struggle about how to respond to his teasing question. Will, always with a joke on the tip of his tongue, was unable to speak either. Strange. He stared at her, an odd anticipation pooling in his gut as he waited.

She shrugged, an attempt to convey carelessness. "I'm getting restless. Do you want to check out another bar?"

_More than I want to do anything else_, he thought. Will leaned forward, feeling excited and even a little giddy. "Let's do it."

First they went to Cava, her regular haunt. Then they stumbled on to Carriage House, Pass the Buck and Ginny's Joint before last call. By then, Will was feeling more than buzzed and Alicia's face had reddened to match the shade of ripe tomatoes. They were standing in the street, among a few other grumbling patrons. "Where to now, oh captain my captain?"

She had her arms akimbo and a little smile. "I see."

"Eh?"

She flicked her finger up and down at him. "This. It takes many shots of bourbon before you become so docile." She leaned in. "Now I know your secret."

He smelled her jasmine scent, now tinged with a smokiness from the alcohol. Without letting any thoughts distract him, Will closed his eyes and the remaining distance between them. Let his lips drift over the length of her neck, and when she made a small sound, so imperceptible that had he not been completely tuned in to her response he might have missed it, he traced the edge of her jaw. A savage kick of endorphins shot through his body when Alicia's hand tangled into his thick hair. She said something incomprehensible. "What?"

"More, Will. More."

Had they been alone, he would have stripped off their clothes and made love to her right then and there. He groaned into the side of her face, which only made him more intimate with her luxurious black hair. He imagined her face over his, her hair a curtain shutting everything else out. Then he angled his face so that his mouth could meet hers. Her fingers stilled their absentminded stroke through his hair, tensed into a fist and pushed his head closer to intensify their first kiss. He stopped thinking for a euphoric minute.

They broke apart, out of breath, glassy-eyed. "My place is ten, maybe fifteen minutes from here", he said, while gesturing wildly to the west.

She shook her head. He thought, _no, no, no_. "My place is around the corner." He thought, _go, go, go_.

They were strangely aloof with each other as they walked to Alicia's apartment. She led him through to the interior, past the kitchen with the big window, the cozy living room with the overstuffed couch. She opened a shut door on the right. Her bedroom. Law books were stacked high on the desk, nightstand, and on the floor beside the bed. There was an unframed photograph lying at an angle on top of one of the book stacks. It was Alicia and a man who looked like he could have been on the covers of bodice-ripping paperback novels.

She was hastily moving a pile of clothing from her bed back into her closet. "Sorry about the mess."

He lightly clasped the picture on the desk. "Peter?"

Alicia's face flamed further, as impossible as that seemed, given her inebriated state. "Yes."

Maybe it was her embarrassment that prompted his. He had never hesitated, before, just because someone else may or may not have factored into the equation. His equation or the woman's. But there was a Peter in Alicia's life and rather belatedly, he remembered there was Kimmy in his. He made a sound like a balloon slowly deflating and sat down on Alicia's bed. What sort of man was he, to woo a woman into a false sense of security and then renege on that mere hours later?

"Will, what's the matter?"

He rested his elbows on his news and cupped his head in his hands. "All those terrible things you assumed I was? Well, it turns out they're true."

She instantly sat beside him. "No", she said. "Will, no."

He lifted his head at her emphatic words. The night, the buzz, the once insistent desire was wearing away. He felt drained. "I have a girlfriend, Alicia."

She appeared as if not to have heard him, for a second. Then she turned very pale and the distance between their bodies widened considerably. She swallowed. "The professional cheerleader?"

He nodded, slowly. "Yeah. Kimmy."

"I see." But she didn't see at all. "So this was... What?"

How could he let her know that it was special without it seeming like some slick line? But of course he couldn't. "Don't do this, Alicia."

"Don't do what, Will?", she said, in a sharp tone. The sweet, witty, utterly charming Alicia had vanished. "Am I just, what, a distraction for everyone?"

His eyebrows shot up. "Everyone?"

"You. Jackie. Telling me I'm not right for her son." She shot off the bed, pacing the floor. She didn't seem to be talking to him anymore. "Nobody seems to think I'm good enough - not for Peter, not for you. I'm... the appetizer? The girl who keeps the bed warm while you bring home that special someone? Well, I won't stand for it, do you hear me!" She jabbed at Will's chest.

He was good at responding to anger. He stood up and got right in her face. "You're a fine one to talk, Alicia. Was I supposed to be a consolation prize for whatever went down earlier tonight?"

She crossed her arms. Tossed back her head. "Don't be ridiculous."

"That's a lie and you know it."

He expected her to yell at him, maybe tell him to leave. At the very least, he expected the withering discourse that she had handy in class. He did not and would never have expected, though, was for Alicia to sink to the bed and get teary-eyed. He panicked. "Hey, don't- I mean- I was-"

"What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing. Alicia, look at me. Nothing's wrong with you. You're..." _Perfect. Too good for me._ He scooted closer to her. When she didn't move away, he pushed her hair from her face and repeated the motion. In a whisper, he said, "You're beautiful and smart and tough and gentle. You have the sharpest tongue and the most infectious laugh. You, Alicia Cavanaugh, are the Mona Lisa."

She heaved a big sigh and slowly turned her dark eyes towards him. "Please don't let this be a line", she whispered back. She settled against a pillow.

He wanted to kiss her again, could feel the desire and could see hers. He shook his head slowly. "It's not." He gave in and pressed his mouth against her temple. "I wish... that things were different."

He might have elaborated further, told her how he liked himself better around her. How he wished he hadn't been so rash about giving away his affection. How, as messed up as it might seem, he was doing this so that she could look him in the eye in the morning. But he didn't say any of that. Her eyes had closed and her breathing had slowed, deepened. Will felt the insistent pull of sleep overcome as well. He gave in to that impulse and settled his head beside hers.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Fear not, I haven't forgotten that I left things at a cliffhanger between Will and Alicia! Read on to see what happens next!**_

-7-

"How are you feeling this morning?"

Alicia smiled weakly, averting her eyes from Will's half-naked, still moist body. "Fine. Guess I passed out pretty fast."

He made a sound as he sat down on the bed and reached for the boxers casually tossed on top of one of her book piles. "Bombs dropping over the city wouldn't have woken you up." He looked her way as he pulled on the boxers without removing his towel. Next, he grabbed his jeans. "Alicia, you turn your neck any further and you'll look like that girl from The Exorcist. Relax, ok? I've covered up the shame that is my body."

Her cheeks were pink but she did, reluctantly, look at him. "Are we - are we going to talk about last night?"

She got a flash of his belly button before the shirt hem dropped over it. She realized then how dry her throat was. He was looking at her inscrutably. "What about last night? We went on a bar crawl and had a good time. Is there anything more to discuss?"

She knew what he was doing. He was giving her an out, and, she appreciated it deeply. Because what other result would arise from talking about what had almost happened? Did she want to dredge up those awful, awkward feelings and words all over again - this time in the sobering light of day? They would probably never speak again. And that would make her... sad. Well. That was a startling revelation, Alicia thought. She wanted their friendship to survive. And he did too. They were...important to each other. The weight of that statement made Alicia shake her head in agreement. "You're right, Will. There's nothing more to discuss." She got up and ran a hand through her hair, wincing at the knots. "Do you want breakfast before you go?"

He grinned. "Now you're talking."

"I'm in the mood for French toast." She was feeling unusually giddy. They reached for her door knob at the same time, and, their finger tips collided. That was all it took. She could see Will's eyes cloud over and before either of them were fully conscious of their actions, they toppled together back onto her mattress.

* * *

Owen was remarkably aplomb and quiet about a strange man in his apartment. He had wandered out, hair still damp from the shower, to find Alicia in the kitchen dipping thick slabs of challah bread into batter while Will watched a replay of some basketball game from the night before. Owen gave his sister an arch look. "French toast. Special special."

Will turned. He extended a hand out. "Hey, man. I'm Will." He flicked a quick glance at Alicia as he wondered how to further elaborate their relationship. "From Alicia's school."

Owen also gazed at Alicia, whose cheeks were turning a deep shade of pink. "Ah. I see." He clasped Will's hand. "Well, Will-from-Alicia's-school, I'm Owen. The brother."

Will nodded, the childhood stories that Alicia had shared just hours before clicking in. "Well, I hope you don't mind that I crashed here for the night. Alicia and I were..." His brow furrowed slightly. What were they, exactly?

She stepped in, hastily. "Coffee's ready."

Breakfast was an awkward affair. To Alicia's annoyance, her brother ignored her less-than-subtle hint ("Owen, aren't you meeting Elaine for brunch today?") of leaving them alone. Instead, he said, "No, silly. That's tomorrow. I'm all yours today." He sat between them at their small kitchen table, avidly watching the looks volleying back and forth from Will to Alicia, and vice versa.

During the mostly silent meal, Alicia was in agony. She wanted to talk to Will without Owen's lovable but at the moment damnably intrusive presence. At the same time, she wanted to confide in Owen without revealing them to Will as well. She was in a state of confusion, joy, uncertainty and guilt. She honestly wasn't sure what had overtaken her this morning. She'd never... She wasn't the kind of person who lost control like that. Who didn't give any thought about consequences.

And yet. Her face grew warm thinking about what had transpired in her room only a short while ago. The heat of Will's skin. His mouth. The way his back muscles felt as they flexed against her palms. Her own equally passionate response. The strength and intensity of her desire. She knew he was looking at her from across the table and kept her eyes on the French toast. She was afraid to see those feelings mirrored on his face.

Owen finally took pity on her. He pointed at his bare wrist. "Look at the time. I forgot that thing I just remembered." He gave them a pointed look. "See ya."

When the apartment door clicked shut, Alicia sighed. "And there goes my brother." She stood up and began to clean up.

"Nice guy." Will moved towards her. "Interesting guy." Then he kissed her.

She didn't want to think when he kissed her. Which was why she pulled away after a few moments. "Will, we need to talk about this." His hands were already edging underneath the hem of her shirt. "Seriously."

He heaved a loud sigh but stepped back. "You think too much, Alicia."

"Maybe. But that doesn't change your situation." When he showed no sign of understanding, she pointed at him. "Kimmy."

Will pointed back at her. "Let's not forget about Peter."

Alicia's shoulders hunched. "Right. So..." She didn't know what to say.

She looked so sexy standing there, chewing on her lip. He only wished it was him playing with her mouth in that manner. He stepped into her personal space again. "Don't worry. Everything's going to work out."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean... I don't know what I mean. But I think I need to clarify things with Kimmy. Tell her I rushed into things with her."

Alicia wanted to believe him. She could tell that he wanted to believe in himself too. But could he change? And was he doing it for the right reasons? "Maybe we need to take some time. To, you know, figure out what we really want."

He was not a man of patience, especially when he knew what he wanted. Will ignored the voice in his head pointing out that what he wanted usually didn't keep long. "The only time I need is however long it takes to break things off with Kimmy."

She was no stranger to smooth talking, and she'd heard enough from that side of Will in class. She remembered why she had disliked him so intensely for so long. The emotional bond that had formed between them began to crumble. "I'm glad you're so certain, but maybe I'm the one who needs the time to reevaluate." She stiffened her posture. "I hope you'll respect that."

Somewhere, he had misstepped. When would he remember that Alicia was like no other woman he'd ever met? He quickly deduced that pushing her further at this moment would only make matters worse. With great restraint, he said, "I respect you. If you need the time, then take it. I'll be here."

He started to gather his jacket to leave. "Will."

"Yeah?"

Alicia smiled crookedly, if a little sadly. "Thank you."

"For what?"

_For showing me the wild side that I never knew I had. For making me forget. For making me feel so alive_. "For being an all around good guy, after all."

As Will left, a warning bell sounded in his mind. He didn't know if it was a good or bad omen of things to come.

* * *

_**AN:**_Sorry for the delay - after the last chapter, I imagined all the different directions that this storyline could go. I finally - _finally_ \- settled on this one. I hope you enjoyed reading this latest chapter! Also, some of you might be wondering about Peter and whether he's gone for good. Though it might disappoint you to read this, I have to say that he's definitely not out of the picture. (Where's the fun in that if things were ever simple for Will and Alicia?) Stay tuned for more and I'll hopefully post a new chapter sooner rather than later!


	8. Chapter 8

-8-

AN: Dear Readers, please forgive me for the long delays between posting new chapters. Thank you for your gentle reminders that you are continuing to follow and enjoy my story! There is still more to unfold, so expect (at least) a few more chapters.

* * *

She was glowing. Peter watched Alicia cross the diner, which she had reluctantly relented to meet him in after he threatened to camp outside her apartment. Something in his chest sunk just a little, watching her move closer to him. It was evening in Georgetown, and the wind was picking up. She had refused to answer his frantic phone calls the night before. Now it seemed like he was looking at a different woman. He prayed that whatever changes that had developed in 24 hours would be in his favor. He stood up; would have pulled out the chair had they not been seated in a booth. "Alicia. Thank you for meeting me."

She tucked a long lock of hair behind her ear and nodded in a quick, small motion. Her lashes served as a silkscreen to the emotion in her eyes. When Peter leaned forward to kiss her, she simultaneously stepped back and turned her face away. He wanted to laugh at the irony of the situation. As an Assistant District Attorney, he faced down murderers, thieves, and other sordid criminals. He could reduce many of them to a stuttering mess of nerves. Why did Alicia Cavanaugh make his collar hot and his skin clammy? And did he want to think about how his mother used to hold a similar power over him?

Jackie. Peter's lips curled at the unpleasant conversation that followed Alicia's abrupt departure the night before. He returned to the dinner table to find Jackie calmly sipping a glass of white wine. "Peter, darling, you're looking a little pale. Why don't you have a glass of this wonderful Chardonnay? Emil here -" she tilted her head at the waiter hovering near by - "recommended it." She gave Emil an approving smile.

"What the hell did you say to her, Mother?"

Jackie snapped her head back at his tone. He almost never spoke in that manner to her. She glanced at Emil, who was politely not looking at either of them. "Emil, why don't you tell Chef Vuong to get started on the first course? Tell her it will be two, as usual." As soon as Emil hurried off, she addressed her son. "I didn't raise you to be impertinent to your betters. Especially in public." She silently tsk'ed; clearly, she needed to pull some strings in the Chicago DA's office. Peter was surrounded by too much riff raff in Washington.

"I'm not sure I'm speaking with my betters at the moment." He leaned forward. "Alicia's important to me. You were incredibly rude to her."

"Rude?" Jackie sent him a withering glance. "She's the one who left in a huff."

"Because of what you said. What did you say?" Jackie's eyes dropped slightly. She fiddled with the stem of her wine glass. Peter's impatience surged. "Mother, I'm not joking around here."

"Well... She's a nice girl but we know you need more than nice. I'm thinking about your future here."

His eyebrows drew in tightly. Rubbed his eyes with his hand. "So, let me get this straight. You're so worried about my future that you're trying to ruin it?"

He could see the screws in her head working overtime as she switched tactics. She placed her hand over his. "Peter, let's not be dramatic here. You don't even know her." She held up a hand as he opened his mouth. "If you're going to run for office, you need to think strategically about the woman who will stand by your side." She gave a little laugh. "Her parents are probably Socialists."

He'd never been that angry with his mother before. Perhaps he better understood those long dinners where a word was hardly exchanged between his parents. He wished his father had better prepared him, but knew at the same time that there was no way he would have listened to the old man.

"Peter, I've been doing some deep thinking..." He was watching Alicia's lips moving, watching the waves in her hair move as she moved.

"I'm glad you've been thinking. I know what my mother told you. And it's not true." He held her hand and squeezed.

Alicia gave Peter a small smile. She pulled her hand away, dropping it into her lap. The morning with Will reran in an obscene loop in her head. She ignored the weakening of her knees, the warmth spreading in her belly. Peter deserved her full attention. "It... It doesn't matter what Jackie thinks, Peter. I wasn't ready to meet your mother."

"Maybe I rushed it. I'm sorry. I just wanted you to know how much you've come to mean to me." He was looking at her so earnestly. And he didn't see anyone else, not the waitress eyeing him from the other end of the room, not the blatant ways strange women showed their obvious desire whenever he walked by them. Alicia laughed softly. "What's funny?"

She shook her head, bringing a hand to her mouth. "Just... Well, I'm surprised, is all."

"About what?"

"Well... that I mean that much to you. Look at you." She waved a hand up and down at him. "You're smart and handsome and on the rise. You can be with anyone." He could have his pick of any number of beautiful, accomplished women.

He sat back, stunned as a revelation struck him. "You think you're ordinary."

Alicia lifted her shoulders and shrugged. "Well...yeah."

Peter moved, until he was sitting beside her. His thigh touching her thigh. "Alicia, do you know how many people are capable of going toe to toe with my mother and leaving with the last word?" When she didn't answer, he said, "Try no one. Not even my dad. But forget about my mother. You're..." He shook his head, trying to find the words. "I thank God every day that you decided I was interesting enough to talk to that night at the bar. You may be stubborn and a little bit weird, but you'll never be ordinary. And I love you for it."

He wasn't planning on saying that he loved her, hadn't even realized that was how he felt about her, but the words barreled out of him like a speeding train. As they crashed into her, he watched her grow unnaturally still. "Peter..."

"I'm springing this on you, I know. I'm sorry. I should have planned it better... Had roses or something, at least. I.."

"There's someone else", Alicia whispered. Now it was her turn to watch him freeze. She hated the way he stiffened and slid back to his side of the booth, an aching distance away. She hated herself. Hated how she was treating him. He'd been nothing but kind and honest with her.

"I...I see." Peter cautiously reached for and took a long swallow from the glass of ice water in front of him. He let out a sharp bark of laughter. "I'm not surprised, actually."

"You're not?"

He looked her in the eyes, intensely. Fiercely. "You're an intelligent, beautiful woman who runs circles around most people. Who would be able to resist you?"

Her jaw dropped. It made her hate herself even more. "Peter..." She didn't know how to respond.

"Don't make any major decisions, Alicia. Just think about it. You and me. How our future together would be." He touched her cheek gently. "Can you do that for me?"

She was in more turmoil than ever before. She hadn't expected his reaction. Hadn't expected the depth of her own regret at hurting him, at being so honest. She blinked back the tears that threatened to spill. Placed her hand over his. "I promise, Peter." She didn't jerk away when he leaned over and kissed her. Didn't think about anyone else when the kiss deepened. And keenly felt the pang when he got up and left.

* * *

Owen was home, watching TV, when Alicia returned to the apartment. He started when she stepped in from the hallway. "Hey. Where have you been?"

"Walking around. Needed to clear my head." She looked at him fidgeting strangely. "What's wrong?"

He laughed falsely. "What makes you think anything is wrong?"

"Owen." She folded her arms across the chest.

He grimaced and pointed at the TV, which was muted. "You're not going to like this."

"Since when do you watch basketball..." The next words died from her lips. On the screen, sitting court side, was Will, laughing and enjoying himself. Beside him was Kimmy Linnata.

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**AN:** I know, I know. Some of you wanted Peter out of Alicia's life forever, but, I'll admit it, I like Peter. (Ducks a little to avoid thrown objects.) I imagine that pre-series Peter was very much like Cary - eager, ambitious, and an all-around good guy before the power went to his head. Anyway, next chapter will be from Will's POV. I will try my best not to delay too long. Comments and follows are great motivators! :)


	9. Chapter 9

Ok, it's been forever since my last update. But here it is, finally... I think I've got one or two more chapters left before this retelling of Alicia's and Will's story comes to an end... before it picks up again in Chicago.

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Will returned to his apartment to find a note by the phone in his roommate's barely legible handwriting. He couldn't make out much of it except for the name Mara. He grinned and picked up the phone. "You beckoned?"

"At least one of us is in a good mood." He could hear the tea kettle going off on Mara's end of the line.

"How's she doing?"

"Not great. Still smoking like a chimney. Is there any way you can make it over here earlier than planned?"

He felt a surge of annoyance that was followed by guilt. "Yeah, sure. When's Jeannie coming back?" The silence on the other end of the line had him cursing. "She's going to leave us holding the bag, isn't she?"

"She says she can't get away."

"The hell she can't. For Christmas? For Mom? I'll call her. Drag her from St. Louis, if I have to." He tried to shake away the cloud that had dimmed his good mood. "How are you doing?"

"I'm hanging in there. Josh and I went to look at apartments the other day."

Will laughed. "You and little Josh Benito, cohabitating. Who would have imagined that? I'm glad for you. It's about time you moved out of the house."

"And what about you? Are you still with the cheerleader?" When Will didn't respond, Mara hooted. "Freddie owes me $20. Who's the new girl now?"

"I'd rather not say." His face flamed as his sister cackled. Since when did he get so prim? "Look, you're free to grill me when I get home. Now let me talk to Mom for a little bit."

After hanging up, Will spent the remainder of the day arranging his travel back to Chicago and trying, unsuccessfully, to reach his errant sister Jeannie. By the time he was done, it was early evening. He stretched and reached for the phone. Steve, his roommate, noisily entered the apartment at the same time. "Hello, Kimmy? Can you hear me?" She was speaking in a quick, excited tone. He held the mouthpiece away from him and glared at Steve. "Hey, would you quiet down for one minute here?" Steve stopped what he was doing but not before making a face.

"-in town. They're the best seats in the house. What do you say?"

His mind sped. She must be talking about the restaurant after the game. "Uh. Sure. I'd like to talk with you about something anyway."

Kimmy giggled. "Better not be a proposal. Ok, I gotta go. We're rolling out a new routine so the next few hours is going to be intense. I'll send a messenger with the tickets over now. Be home to pick them up!"

"Wait, what are you talk-" but she had already hung up. Will frowned into the phone.

Half an hour later, a bike messenger dropped off the tickets Kimmy mentioned. Steve's eyes nearly rolled onto the floor. "Your girlfriend scored us court side tickets to the Bulls game!"

A moral quandary, Will thought while visibly grimacing. He envisioned Alicia, arms crossed, shaking her head. "I can't accept these", he forced himself to say.

Steve stared at him with incredulity. "Can't? No no no no. Don't do this to me, man!"

"I'm about to break up with her. I can't accept her generosity and then end things with her immediately after."

"C'mon, Will. This is the Bulls! Watching number 23 from three feet away. We could get hit with his sweat! Whatever you want to do with this chick can't compare. Wait another day or two, man."

He didn't respond immediately, a sure sign of capitulation. Steve whooped in triumph and went to find his Bulls jersey. Will picked up the phone. Alicia's answering machine picked up. "Alicia, it's Will..." His mind fumbled at what to say next. "Uh, I'll try you at a later point in time. Bye."

By the time he arrived at the stadium, Will was feeling less uneasy about what he was doing. Alicia wanted space, after all. Who was to say that she wasn't off seeing Peter? Why shouldn't he take the night to spend perfectly innocent fun with Kimmy? And, Steve had a point. It was the Bulls. Court side. It might be a game that would go down in history. And, it was one night. As he found the seats, he spotted Kimmy, stretching. She jogged over to him. "Hey, you." She leaned in for a kiss.

"Hey." He gave her a chaste peck on the cheek. "Kims, you didn't have to do this. But thank you."

She wrapped her arms around his neck. Pressed the length of herself against him. "Anything for my man."

He forced a smile and quickly extricated himself out of her arms. He pointed to one of her coaches. "I think you're needed."

"Oh!" She turned around and started walking back to the other cheerleaders.

The game was amazing. Will wanted to cry at the beauty of it, at being so close to athletic perfection. At halftime, after the cheerleaders had performed their number, Kimmy ran up to him and threw her arms around him. He smiled and congratulated her, thanked her profusely. This was a game he would never forget. At its conclusion, they headed to a restaurant she picked, an Italian bistro. As she munched on antipasto, Will steeled himself with glasses of wine. "What's the matter? You're not hungry?"

He shook his head. "I guess I had too many hotdogs at the game." He struggled with himself as Kimmy shrugged and returned to eating.

"Well, I'm starved. It's not every day that my dad meets my boyfriend."

The wine glass that was halfway to Will's mouth stilled. "Excuse me?"

She laughed and pointed at him. "Oh my God, you just went all pale. My dad watches all the games. He'll have seen us together at halftime."

"Kimmy..."

"They'll be so thrilled that I'm dating a lawyer. They've never liked any of my previous boyfriends. 'Course, they did have good reason. They all wanted to use me in some way."

He cleared his throat and resisted the urge to tug at his collar. "Yeah?"

She made a sound through her nose. "I swear, some guys only see me as a walking, talking VIP basketball game ticket." Kimmy placed a hand over Will's. "But not you, thank goodness. I'm glad you pushed for a commitment. I was really starting to like you."

He slid his hand out from under hers and raised his wine glass. "To us, then." As she giggled, guilt and self hatred vied for top spot on his conscience.

Will feigned a stomach ache at the end of dinner and saw a disappointed Kimmy off in a cab. Then he set out for Alicia's and when he reached her apartment building, he felt a tense knot forming in his belly. He wasn't looking forward to what he was about to say but he hoped she would respect him for it. It sounded hollow and lame and regrettable as he punched in her apartment number. "Alicia, it's Will."

"Wait there", was her terse response. Will's knot tension thickened.

A few minutes later, Alicia came outside of the building, shutting the front door decisively behind her. As Will came in to hug her, to breathe her intoxicating scent, she didn't step away but accepted his invasion of her space woodenly. When he stepped back, she crossed her arms on her chest and stared at him. "What is it?"

Somehow she knew. Will gave her his best smile. "I wanted to see you. Want to get a coffee with me?"

Something in those innocuous words set her off. Alicia's expression was as close to hateful as he had ever seen. "No, Will, I don't think that would be a good idea."

"What's wrong?"

She was getting red in the face. "Did you break up with Kimmy?" Despite the discomfort, Will couldn't help bit admire her not beating around the bush. She was going to make a great attorney.

She deserved the truth. "No. I didn't."

Alicia took a step back. Let out an involuntary little breath which came out as a soft "oh". She looked away from him, staring at nothing in the far distance down the street. Will could do nothing but stand there, the excuses that he had been working on since leaving Kimmy falling away, the ugly truth staring him in the face. He was bad at keeping promises.

After an interminable minute or two, she reanimated. Her eyes were shiny, her voice ragged from the war that was raging inside of her mind. "What happened this morning was a mistake. We were fools to think it meant more than what it actually was."

Will shook his head. "That's not true. You and I both know it."

"Do I?"

"You may not have much faith in me now but yes. It meant a lot to me. You mean a lot to me." He was surprised to hear the words.

She smiled, to herself. "You do a bad job of showing it, Will."

From his exponential, cancer-like guilt, he bristled. "And what about you, Saint Alicia? How's Peter doing?"

There was almost pity in her eyes. "He knows. I told him this afternoon."

He wanted to tell her it didn't mean she wasn't special and he wanted to tell her she was the first woman he didn't want to lie to. He wanted to tell her he was scared out of his mind and he had no idea why he was screwing up something so important so royally. "Alicia, I just need more time."

She was biting her lip. Worrying her right knuckles with her left hand fingers. "I always thought I wasn't this kind of woman."

"What kind is that?"

"The kind who can deal with one night stands." She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. When she opened them again, she looked calmer. "Now I know it. Let's just chalk up what we had to a life lesson."

"I can't pretend whatever's between us doesn't exist, Alicia."

"Whatever that is, it's not going to work." She shook her head. "We just don't see eye to eye."

"And Peter?"

She fidgeted. "Do you really want to hear me say it?"

He looked away. "You've made your choice already."

"Yes."

She said it so decisively. Will let out a long breath as he leaned back into his chair. "Guess it's just...bad timing for us."

Alicia smiled sadly. "Guess so." She looked at her watch. "I have to go."

Will touched her hand. "Alicia, I'm sorry. I wish things could have turned out differently."

She nodded. "Thank you." She pulled her hand free.

"If you ever need anything, I'm going to be there for you. All you have to do is find me. I mean it."

Maybe there was something in the urgent way he said it but it made Alicia turn around. She walked up to him and leaned in until her face was pressed against his. Then she kissed him on the mouth, too lightly and briefly. "Good bye, Will." It wasn't until later that Will realized she had taken a piece of him with her.


End file.
